String bender for electric guitar

Abstract

A string bender apparatus includes a mounting plate with an anchor for anchoring guitar strings to a guitar body, a first section with fastener-receiving holes arranged to receive fasteners extended into pre-existing mounting holes in the body, and an extension that extends from the first section. A lever is pivoted to the extension for movement in a plane that extends generally parallel the front surface of the guitar body. The lever includes a first end defining a handle that is positioned generally adjacent one side of the strings and includes an opposite end attached to one of the strings for temporarily changing a tension of the one string and thus changing a pitch of the one string when the handle is moved in the plane. The string bender can be retrofit onto existing guitars. The string bender can be made removable and replaced with, or combined with a vibrato.

Description

[0001]This application claims benefit under 35 U.S.C. §119(e) of provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 870,137, filed Dec. 15, 2006, entitled STRING BENDER WITH OPTIONAL VIBRATO MOUNTING PLATE FOR ELECTRIC GUITAR, the entire contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND[0002]The present invention relates to a string bender for electric guitars that requires little or no modification to existing brands of electric guitars, and further which provides easy installation with optional retrofitability, removability, transferability / interchangeability from guitar to guitar, and simplicity of construction leading to durability / robustness of construction. Further, the present invention positions and pivotally supports its handle component for efficient / easy use while picking and playing the guitar, and for combining with other functional structures such as a vibrato.[0003]String benders permit raising the pitch of a string on a guitar to mimic pedal steel guitar effects. To...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0019]A significant advantage of the present invention is the simplicity of installation, and the fact that installation will not deface the instrument, preserving the value of the instrument for future resale. Once installed, the handle is located in an easy to operate position without hindering the player's right hand and playing technique.

[0020]All instruments using a string bender device according to an embodiment of the present invention can be safely placed in the original factory case (without removal of the device) and without modification to the case.

[0021]According to another aspect of the present invention, a mounting plate attachment or frame for the electric guitar is provided that has the potential to revolutionize the guitar industry. The mounting plate according to an embodiment of the present invention allows for the addition of a Bigsby Vibrato tailpiece to be mounted to a guitar without the need of drilling mounting apertures in the face of the instrument. The Bigsby Vibrato tailpiece requires drilling four apertures or holes in the top of the instrument for mounting. The mounting plate of frame according to the present invention allows the Bigsby tailpiece to be first mounted to the mounting plate or frame using the normal bolt pattern of the Bigsby tailpiece, and allows the mounting plate to be bolted to the guitar body using the existing attachment holes / structure.

[0022]The mounting plate or frame according to an embodiment of the present invention, with the Bigsby tailpiece installed, mounts to the instrument's top using the two existing 5 / 16 inch bolt apertures on the guitar that were factory installed and intended for what is known as a stop tailpiece. Thus, the player can add the Bigsby vibrato tailpiece with a mounting plate according to the present invention for as long as the player wants. The player can at any time return the guitar to factory original with no damage or alterations made to the guitar.

[0023]Some advantages with a mounting plate system according to the present invention is the plate, and the Bigsby vibrato can be moved from guitar to guitar with a simple five minute string change. The mounting plate according to the present invention can be quickly and easily installed on any Gibson, Epiphone or any guitar that has a standard two bolt tailpiece which has been an industry standard for almost fifty years and continues to be the standard in today's guitar building.

[0024]Another advantage with the mounting plate or frame according to the present invention is that it can be used on hundreds of models of guitars, and that the cost and age of the instrument has no bearing on installation. The guitar can be brand new, or it can be a fifty year old classic, and can have the mounting plate or frame, according to an embodiment of the present invention, and the Bigsby installed in five minutes with only a change of strings.

Problems solved by technology

To date, manufactured string benders are relatively crude in the operation of string bending.

Also, this bender can be accidentally activated and / or its return spring can fatigue over time, such that it can adversely affect pitch during “normal” playing of the guitar.

Again, this method and device have limitations to operation.

Also, disassembly of the rod is required since it hinders placement of the instrument in its protective case.

With this device mounted, the string bender handle is located in a difficult position to operate and hinders the player's right hand and playing technique.

Also, the guitar cannot be placed in its case without removing string tension and turning the device 90 degrees.

Again, this configuration has very limited appeal for the guitar player.

However, once mounted, the activation handles are suspended over the guitar bridge and again hinders the player's right hand and playing technique.

This results in limitations as noted in regard to the Parsons string bender discussed above.

In addition, the above discussed mechanisms often include many components and are more complex than desired, each of which increase manufacturing expense (due to part costs and also assembly costs), increase warranty due to wear and poor durability, and increase installation costs.

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